Die Another Day
by Cosmic Castaway
Summary: When Kirk is shanghaied into the dark world of arena fighting, the crew has to find a way to locate him and rescue him before he meets his final match.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** _Hello everybody. I have to admit this right off the bat. I never thought I'd be writing a Star Trek fanfic. Yes, this would be the first crucial ST fanfic. I've been a scifi fan all my life but never a ST fan. Then the movie came out and well it did what it was suppose to do, grab those who never were into the shows and movies. I cannot WAIT for the sequel for my DVD has pretty much screamed out in mercy after watching religiously. So after reading some great fanfic on this site I thought I'd try my hand in it. I do hope you like this story, and honestly few times I've thought about getting a beta reader because I'm just going on some things I've read about the show. So hopefully I don't mess up to badly._

**Warnings:** _Nothing to bad, but there will be some blood and some cussing so easily offended then maybe this wouldn't be the ideal story for you._

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing. I promise to put the characters back the way I found them…then again they might be a bit tad messed up. Who knows with the evil world of fanfiction. _

**Year:** _This takes place quite some time after the movie. Maybe up to quite a few months even say a year. So the crew is pretty much a tight group, but like any true crew they have their moments._

**Prologue**

Pain. That's all James T. Kirk knew from the moment his eyes focused around him until the sweet world of unconsciousness grasped him and offered him sweet surrender in its warm dark nothingness. Days were becoming nights, nights becoming weeks. There was no telling how long he'd been there. Time had become something of the past. Then again, it was kind of hard to keep track when you were confined to a cell.

How he wished, with every fiber in his body, that he could close his eyes, wake up, and find himself home. Funny, how quickly a ship can become your residence and the crew members can develop into your family. Dysfunctional and a bit chaotic at times. But what family isn't? But the one question that dwelled in Jim's mind was, did they think of him? Had they given up or were they still relentlessly looking for him?

Despair then soon followed that line of thinking. He was never going to get out of this personal hell. How could his crew ever find him when he himself couldn't tell you where he was. He was a lost soul on a road destined to travel alone. How could he find a way to escape? The only way out were by two methods: either creating a brilliant escape plan or fatality itself. There was a part of him that wanted nothing more than to welcome death with open arms and embrace it like it was an old friend.

He knew no matter how much he wanted to give in, there was a part of him that just couldn't lay down and die. An internal instinct, an animal inside that screamed at Kirk to endure, to not give in, to continue his day to day fight to survive.

His tired eyes began to close again when the sound of his cell door brought him to full alert. The door was being opened from the outside and within a few seconds his captors, his tormentors, stepped inside.

It had become somewhat a routine, something he sadly had gotten used to. They would show up, undo the chains that held him to the floor, and he'd spring into action like a wild creature. He'd start kicking, punching, screaming hell and even bite down a few times before, just to try and get the advantage. He was trying to do anything to get away. But, like always, they subdued him and dragged him out of the door. For once he'd like to have made it out of his cell before they were able to detain him again. They were always a step ahead of him; it was as though they knew what he was going to do before he did it. They had practice in dealing with hostile and uncooperative prisoners.

Today was different though. For the first time Jim was too tired and to beaten to fight back. There was a part of him that felt like they had truly won. He was broken and crushed and really, when it boiled down to it, he just didn't care anymore.

He listened as the manacles fall and hit the cement floor that was his prison cell. Quickly, without the slightest hesitation, just in case he lashed out, new restraints were placed on his wrists. These were alwyas placed on him when they wanted to move him to another location. Couldn't have him getting away from their clutches, now could they?

Rough hands grabbed his shoulders and, with the sound of whooshing air he was on his feet, for about a second. His legs buckled under him and his body crumpled to the ground. He just didn't have the energy. Not more than a few seconds had passed before they hauled him back up, but this time instead of trying to place him on his feet, they supported him. Kirk's feet were now dragging as they began moving. It always crossed his mind just as they left his cell that this would probably be the last time he saw it. Would this be the day someone got the better of him? Then again it was only a matter of time. As weak as he was, it was a miracle he had lasted this long.

The arena was screaming for blood and James T. Kirk wondered who's life essence would be spilled today. Probably his. Then again it could be some poor sucker who got shanghaied just like him or worse, it could be some trained professional killer. If it was the second, Jim was going to be in big trouble.

He had been more dazed then he originally thought for he hadn't even notice they were at the door that led to death. A weapon was forced into his hands, his restraints released from his wrists, and, with a shove, he was forced into the sports ground. It took everything in him not to crumble to the floor, dropping his weapon on the way.

Jim glanced around trying to spot his opponent, his forced enemy of the day. The blade in his hand was gripped comfortably. It was an old sword from the old Gladiator days that he had read long ago in some history lesson. Swinging it a few times, to get the feel of it, he looked at the other door. It didn't take long before the opposite entrance slid open and somebody in a blue shirt walked out.

No, he realized suddenly, it was a Federation uniform. The closer the person got details began to form and Kirk then began laughing. It wasn't the laugh you have over a cold beer and somebody did or said something funny. It was a tired ironic wild laugh. It would figure that the person approaching him was the only person who could beat him, who could deliver the final blow without batting a single eye and never losing any sleep over it. It was the only one who Kirk originally believed was out to get him from the beginning when they first met, half human, half Vulcan and his first officer. Spock.

**TBC….**

**(Love to hear what you think) **


	2. Chapter 1 Famous Last Words

_Here is the new chapter. There was a lot more Bones, then I originally thought there would be. So hope you don't mind too much ;). _

**Chapter 1 – Famous Last Words**

(Three weeks before)

"Dammit Jim, I'm busy."

James T. Kirk had heard that before from his best friend. Actually more times than he could count. But that never seemed to deter him before. It was almost like a challenge when someone didn't want to do something, see if he could find a way to get them to change their mind.

"Then you, of all people, need a break." Jim said, responding to Leonard McCoy, or Bones.

Glancing up from the data pad that McCoy been trying to get done before the Captain started bugging him about going down to a planet, McCoy knew the only time he saw his friend down in the medical bay was if Jim wanted something or it was against his free will. Other than that Kirk would ignore anything that even remotely was close to medical like it was the bubonic plague itself.

Looking at the Captain a bit harder, Bones hadn't caught how dark Jim's eyes were which made him wonder how much sleep Kirk was truly missing in order to have dark circles of that magnitude. He knew the last mission had taken its toll on their Captain and, if he knew his friend, that meant he wasn't taking care of himself. Probably stressing over what went wrong and how it could have been avoided for future altercations.

McCoy couldn't really blame Jim for not wanting to sleep though, he knew what it was like when it was time for sleep but your brain had other plans. If you allowed yourself to lay there long enough, you start to think things, letting it go over and over in your mind until you realize it's too late to fall asleep and once again you're without a proper night of sleep. It's sometimes better just to stay awake until you're so exhausted up to the point your body hits the bed and you're asleep before your head hits the pillow. If anyone knew this vicious cycle it was Leonard McCoy.

It usually happened to him when a case got to him. Like this officer he'd had been treating and he allowed them to get too close, no longer seeing them as a patient but as a person. That was one of the Cardinal rules when getting into the medical field. You get too close, you start messing up, you start getting emotionally attached and it's hard to move on when the person either dies or doesn't listen to you.

McCoy hadn't realized how much lost in thought he was until he glanced up at Kirk and found him messing with one of the medication vials. He had half the mind to take a hypo and place it on Jim's neck, giving him the much needed rest that his body was probably craving. Would serve Jim right.

Stepping up from his desk McCoy grabbed the vial from the Captain's hand and placed it back in its rightful place.

"Have you thought about, I don't know, asking Spock?" Bones asked.

Jim blinked at McCoy for a few seconds, wondering if a joke was coming. There was no way Bones would suggest such a thing. It wasn't though the two despised each other, it was just they were still trying to find common ground between them. They came from such different worlds, and were such polar opposites it was going to take time to understand one another.

"Did you just hear yourself, Bones? Come on. He'll start into this huge spiel about it being illogical with both the Captain and first officer being off the ship for a few days and that Federation officers shouldn't be out gallivanting around bars."

"Funny, that's exactly how I hear him staying it, just like that too."

Kirk glared at his friend. "You know what I mean, don't be such a smartass."

Starting to think how he could get out of this, McCoy then suggested to Jim "Have you asked Scotty?"

"No." Was the quick response from Jim.

"Uhura?"

"Come on!"

"Sulu?

Jim stopped Bones by replying with, "Are you going to go through the entire crew list? Look, all I'm asking is for a couple days. It's a safe planet and Federation is present."

McCoy's eyebrows shot up and then he rolled his eyes. "Earth is a safe planet yet you still seem to find trouble." Shaking his head he replied again. "You know this is peer pressure."

The young Captain smirked. "You know I won't go away until I get what I want. What do I have to do to convince you to come with me?"

Leonard McCoy heard the magic words. The opening he'd need to either make Jim go running out of the med bay or have him right where he wanted him. Smiling at Jim and not saying a single word he watched as Jim shifted his weight with unease tension. Jim knew he was up to something.

"What?" Jim finally broke the silence not being able to take it anymore.

Bones crossed his arms. "I'll go down with you as long as you promise me two things."

"I don't like where this is headed."

"Next physical that comes around you'll be the first in line; in fact, you'll do it with a smile on your face. You won't be lost like you always seem to be, and I won't have to ask you countless times either."

Jim Kirk shrugged his shoulders. "Seems reasonable."

"That's not all, I said two things. Next time you get seriously injured and I'm sure with your track record that will be sooner and not later, you'll come to me and not wait till you pass out. You'll tell me everything I need to know to do my job, and if I say you need a month of bed rest you will do so without a single word of resistance."

McCoy knew either Jim would agree or find it to be too much. To some this would be a stupid bargain, but for Jim it was like asking for an arm and a leg. For some reason James T. Kirk hated asking for help, whether it be in a fight or medical. It was a sign of weakness in his eyes.

"This is blackmail." Jim finally responded to Bones request.

"Well, you could just say no and I'm off the hook." McCoy watched as Jim then puffed out his chest at the prospect of saying no and backing away from the argument and losing the fight. To Bones it looked like Kirk was about to say 'to hell with this,' and walk with his tail between his legs as he left the med bay, but he did the opposite. Jim had put his hand out for Bones to shake on the deal.

Leonard McCoy placed his hand into James T. Kirk's and, as they shook hands, Jim got this big grin because he was getting his way, as usual.

"Bones, you're a hard man to strike a deal with." Shaking his head Jim smiled. "You won't regret this."

McCoy shook his head, "famous last words." \

(Few days later)

Leonard McCoy couldn't believe how much fun he was having. The last few days had become something of a blur for him, having a blast with his partner in crime, Jim Kirk. Surprisingly it had gone without a hitch, not a soul wanted them dead, they weren't being run out town and nobody was trying to sacrifice them to their Gods.

It was their last night on the planet and they figured a few drinks wouldn't hurt before they were due to report to the Enterprise.

With a drunken hiccup McCoy realized maybe it was a bit more than a "few drinks." Ordering another drink he realized his buddy was still missing, and that was ten minutes ago for a bathroom run. Or maybe longer. Hard to tell with the liquor flowing the way it was.

Glancing to his left he hazily looked over to see no Jim Kirk. Turning and letting his eyes flow around the room he then spotted his buddy talking to, no big surprise, a female. Turning back around with a smirk on his face Bones then began drinking when something brought his attention back to Jim. A loud commotion was going on, and what his glazed eyes caught was that Jim was in the middle of a bar fight with three other guys. Dropping his drink he rushed over, to see if he could help Jim or make matters worse. He was never good at this sort of thing.

Jim really didn't know when it all had gone to hell, and what he had done to piss off these three guys. One moment he was talking to a pretty face, when the next her eyes widen and he turned around and found a beer bottle being swung at his head.

Instinct alone allowed him to grab the hand in mid-swing and then, using the man's momentum, threw him into the wall. The beer bottle had come out into Kirk's hand and he used it against the man who had tried to bash his head in. The man crumbled onto the floor, unconscious or dazed Jim wasn't sure which because the second he was done with that, another guy was on him grabbing him from behind. Kirk immediately responded by taking his elbow back and slamming into the person's solar plexus causing the man to double over in pain and letting him go. Jim spun around and then decked the man in the face. He turned and glanced at the girl and smiled but that cost him. He heard Bones yelling across the bar, "JIM, LOOK OUT!" Then he felt something slam into his back.

What Jim hadn't being paying attention to was the fact that there weren't just two guys, there was a third. This guy picked up a nearby chair and slammed it as hard as he could into Kirk's back, dropping him to the floor.

Dazed for a few seconds Kirk retaliated by taking his foot and bringing it right up into the man's crotch. That got an immediate reaction, for the man grabbed his privates, his knees gave out and he toppled over on the ground to wither and moan.

McCoy got there just as Jim stumbled to his feet, swaying forward then backwards, with Bones steadying him. "Who's next?" Jim asked.

"Christ Jim, let's get out of here before somebody wants to volunteer." Bones replied. Looking around suspiciously, half expecting to see somebody charging them with an old baseball bat and grabbing Jim by the arm, they walked over the first one who attacked Kirk first, the girl Jim had been flirting with was crying over him.

"Hey you could always come with me, I'm not the one on the floor."

"Shut up. Jim, keep walking." Bones then proceeded to drag Jim out of the bar, leaving the patrons to get back to their partying and a few on the floor nursing some wounds. Nobody even seemed to notice the crew that sat in the corner watching the whole thing unfold and then silently following Leonard McCoy and James T. Kirk out the door.

* * *

"God damn Jim, I didn't know you could fight like that." Bones said stopping his friend after they got a comfortable distance away from the bar. He turned Jim around so he could start lifting his shirt up and begin checking out his back after having the chair slammed into it.

Jim waved him off when he realized what Bones was trying to do which that produced a glare. "No seriously, I'm okay. I am not going back on our promise. Honestly I can't even feel it."

"Probably all the alcohol you consumed."

The two began walking again, and Jim responded to Bones earlier comment. "Spock showed me."

"What?" McCoy confused as to Jim's sudden comment.

"Spock showed me some moves," Kirk shrugged his shoulders, "I knew enough to get by before I entered Starfleet, but the fight on the bridge and Nero's ship taught me a few things. So I took a few pointers, couldn't hurt I figured."

"They say old dogs can't learn new tricks."

"That would be you we were talking about, right Bones?" Kirk said with a smile.

"Watch it."

The two friends never saw the guys following them into the alleyway. Never even heard them as they began creeping up and with quick procession they made their move. Jim had been looking down when he heard a grunt from Bones and out of the corner of his eye watched as he fell. For one split second he thought maybe McCoy had tripped over his own feet but when Kirk turned to laugh at him he saw the real reason as to why Bones had fallen. One guy was holding the weapon that had brought Bones down, and another guy was holding what, at first appearance, looked like a gun. Before Kirk could even respond or react to the threat something hit him in the chest.

He felt a prick but never heard the sound of the gun go off. A numbing feeling came over Jim's body almost instantly. He pulled the dart out of his chest and looked at it, glaring up at his assailants he felt his vision go dark and before he could stop himself he was hitting the cold pavement. He tried to focus but the last thing he saw was that of blurry faces standing over him.

_**TBC…**_

_Thank you to those who took the time and reviewed, and that is __**ackeberlynn**__, __**Scott Winchester 22 3**__, __**red713**__, and__** Afroza-IX**__. _

_You want a quicker update, I go faster with reviews. So please tell me what you think!!!! ;) Till next time. _


	3. Chapter 2 Missing

**A/N: **_Well, this was a bit later update then I wanted. The chapter is a bit shorter but I figured that was a sacrifice I'd make and make the next one bigger. I hope you like this installment. As to those who left me a review, thank you. It only takes a few seconds to let me know, and I can't tell you how much I go back and look at those when I need some motivation. _

_**Scott Winchester 22 3, ackeberlynn, Gypso, spinalcracker, bookdragon01, Afroza-IX, dinger, Thoughts-of-a-Freak, and Sparkiebunny **__thank you!!!! _

Chapter 2 – Missing

Kirk's eyes opened slowly to the world. It took a few seconds of fluttering his eyelids to get the haze and blurriness to melt away and his vision to go clear again. One thing he realized right away, he didn't recognize his surroundings.

This wasn't the first time this had happened to him. Wake up, had **way **too much to drink and find himself in someone's bed or on someone's floor. It was always scary, not being able to recall how you arrived in your current location and who had brought you there. Anything could have happened between that time and the very last memory of downing a drink.

The more Jim came to his senses he realized with horror this wasn't a bad night at the bar. For when he tried to stretch or move his arms he found them to be tightly secured behind his back, with his wrists restrained. Quickly realizing his ankles were in the same situation as well. 'What the hell was going on?' his mind screamed. 'Who had him? What did they want? Did they know he was a Federation Captain?' Too many questions, not enough answers.

Taking a deep breath, Kirk tried to calm his nerves. He couldn't start to panic now, that wouldn't solve anything. It would just end up leaving him exhausted and not mentally or physically prepared for what was to come.

Glancing around he realized quickly he was in a small room, and from the sound coming off the walls he was in a small shuttle. There was nothing in sight that he could use to escape from his current predicament. He then proceeded to try and recollect his last memory.

The bar, a beer bottle coming at his face, a chick crying over someone, McCoy lying on the ground. Then it hit Jim like a ton of bricks. The last memory was that of Bones being on the ground knocked unconscious and two figures standing before him. His memory was a bit scattered, and from that Jim had the sneaky feeling he had been drugged. But what really concerned him over everything else, what had happened to Bones? Was his friend still lying there, or was he in the same shuttle being hauled to some unknown location.

Jim wondered if maybe it was the guys from the bar that was taking their revenge for the beating at the bar. This was a bit of an extreme but then again they could be one of those that held a serious grudge.

The sound of the door hissing made the announcement of his captors walking into the small room. Struggling to get a glance he twisted his neck to see who had come in. Walking into his field of vision Kirk's stomach dropped. This was definitely not one of the guys from the bar. This male was built like a brick house, and looked like one single punch from him would knock you into next week. Scanning him up and down, it didn't escape him that he held a hypo in his large hand.

"Look," wetting his lips, "I think you're making a big mistake here."

The scary thing was the man didn't say a single word, he just walked up and before Jim could even mutter a single word the man slammed the hypo into his neck. It was only mere seconds before the drug took effect and Kirk found it useless to try and struggle as darkness claimed him once again.

* * *

They were cursed. Lt. Uhura was convinced and nobody could deter her away from that assumption. Somewhere down the line someone or something had put a curse on them. Nothing ever seemed to go right for the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise.

If one of them wasn't kidnapped then it was either somebody getting poisoned, stabbed, shot, thrown off a cliff, eaten by a monster nobody knew existed, or just a good beat down. The list sadly continued on, and was still being added to and probably be something new they never heard of next month.

Those were the risks everybody knew about when enlisting into Starfleet. It just seemed to the communications officer that trouble found them like they had a huge neon sign directly over their heads. There had to be other ships that never saw this kind of action like they did. The very idea though of leaving the Enterprise, departing the crew that she now referred as a family, was just plain unacceptable.

"This is the place."

Nyota Uhura hadn't realized she was in her own little world until Sulu had interrupted her train of thought by telling her they had arrived at their destination.

She glanced up at the building, "Are you sure this is where McCoy's signal is? This can't be right."

"His signal hasn't moved, and there is only one way to find out." Sulu responded to Uhura's question.

Uhura couldn't believe they were even there. McCoy and Kirk hadn't showed back up on their scheduled time, which drew concern immediately. Not wanting to over-react, the crew gave them a two hour window. If they didn't show up or even make contact in that time period the acting Captain would send a team to investigate. Thus, the reason the two stood in front of the structure.

The two Starfleet Officers spoke no more as they entered the hospital building. When they walked inside a woman greeted them who was sitting at a desk facing the doors. She smiled as she saw the two approaching her, "Hi there. How can I help you?"

"Yes," Uhura speaking up, "We wanted to see if you have a patient by the name of Leonard McCoy?" Both watched intently as the woman began punching something into the computer which she then nodded her head as she finished up and glanced up.

"We do," reaching over she pressed a button, "Jack here will take you to his room."

"Thank you." Sulu responded.

"No problem, this hospital is huge and if you don't know your way around you'd certainly get lost."

A young man appeared from a doorway from behind the desk and Sulu and Uhura started to follow but then Uhura stopped and turned around. "By chance, could you see if there is also a James Kirk here that possibly was brought here with McCoy?"

The woman nodded her head and with in a few seconds she shook her head, "I'm sorry there is no name in our database. Would he go by something else possibly?"

"I doubt it, thank you, though." Uhura then turned back around and followed the young man and Sulu.

After taking lefts and rights and walking down long corridors, Uhura was thankful someone was there to show them the way. She was very convinced they would have been lost after the first few turns. The woman was not kidding when she said this hospital was gigantic.

"Here you go." Without waiting to be acknowledged or thanked the man turned around and walked away leaving the two to walk into the room.

The two had just arrived to see a doctor shinning a light into McCoy's eyes.

"Dr. McCoy. We need you to wake up for us." The doctor continued not even paying attention to Lt. Uhura and Lt. Sulu. "Welcome back, do you know where you are, who you are?"

From where Uhura was standing she could barely hear McCoy, but she heard the laughter in the doctor's voice as he responded. "Glad you remember that."

The doctor put his light back into his pocket and walked over, before he could even begin introducing himself or ask if the two were here for the patient Uhura was asking questions.

"What happened to him, is he okay? Do you know if anybody was with him?"

The doctor smiled at the concern for the young man in the bed, "He was found in alleyway alone. It appeared someone hit him in the back of the skull effectively knocking him out and giving him a nasty concussion. I can only tell you the extent of his injuries."

"Meaning?" asked Sulu.

"Well, with head trauma you can never tell. We know that he has some swelling from the concussion but we won't know until he is fully awake then will learn the full extent, if any, injury he might have. He might have slight memory loss or be completely fine. He will be dizzy and have a headache that would make a hangover a walk in the park, but, in due time he'll be back to his regular self. We'll keep him a little longer until we are sure that there is no extended damage. Anymore questions?"

"No, thank you, doctor." Sulu responded as Uhura only could give a small nod. The doctor took his leave and left the room.

Neyota walked over and sat down next to the hospital bed, grabbing McCoy's hand into hers. "How are we going to find Kirk?"

Sulu came and stood besides Uhura and shook his head. "Wait, that's all we can do."

"I just hope he can last that long."

The two became silent as they were lost in their own thoughts, waiting for the one person who might know where the Captain of the Enterprise was.

(Few Minutes Earlier)

Consciousness slowly came back to one Leonard McCoy. He felt somebody lifting his eyelids and shining a light in them. Somebody was trying to arouse him but all he wanted to do was go back to sleep. Then he felt a boney hand rubbing his chest, and a voice calling out to him. How annoying that this person wanted him to wake up, he could have a few more minutes.

"Dr. McCoy. We need you to wake up for us."

His eyes groggily opened and at first blurred vision was all he could see, barely making out the person standing over him. Finally blinking a few times McCoy was able to focus clearly enough this person that was annoying him.

"Welcome back, do you know where you are, who you are?"

Eyebrows frowning, he blinked a bit too long before he felt another shake to make sure he wasn't slipping into unconsciousness again, he finally responded.

"I'm a doctor, you prick."

"Glad you remember that," with a hint of laughter in his voice his voice then became distanced as he was speaking to someone else in the room.

"No, thank you doctor." He heard a voice respond and then silence filled the room. 'Finally,' McCoy thought, 'some peace and quiet, he could find some much needed sleep.' Then he suddenly felt somebody grasp his hand, give it a tight squeeze, and then relax in his.

His tired mind started wondering what they were so concerned about, what had happened that they needed him awake. Why did he, of all people, need a doctor? Leonard McCoy tried to remember what happened to put him in such a predicament but that only seemed to zap more energy. He'd just have to try and remember next time he woke up. Hope whoever was in the room thinking he was going to wake up didn't get to mad that he took another nap. Slowly but surely consciousness was once again was lost to McCoy.

**TBC…**

_;) I don't think I need to say it, you know what authors love. Till next chapter, which will be the fun one! _


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